Signal mechanism.



F. H. SLEEPER.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2 1910.

1,242,358, Patented- Oet. 2, 191?;

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FRANK H. SLEEPER, OF.WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIIIG'IN'OB, OF ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE DOWNING HARTLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SIGNAL mncnnmsm.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 2, 191?,

Application filed July 2, 1910. Serial No. 570,092.

nism, of which 'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of signal devices used for audible marine and aerial signaling; for fog warning and the like in connection with coast and lighthouse service;

' and for alarm purposes in marine and aerial landing and departure stations.

In mechanisms of this class it is not only very desirable that they consist, mechanically, of the minimum of parts, so as to avoid complications in operation and the correspondingly increased risks of break down, but it is also of great importance that the signal tone be produced at a known and unvarying pitch so as to permit of ready recognition. s

Another very desirable feature in connection with devices of this kind is the ability to control the pitch of the signal tone produced, so that the device may be, at will, quickly adjusted to produce such tones as may be from time to time required.

The object of my invention is to provide a reliable and easily controlled signal device of simple construction, wherein the sounds are produced by means of air or other elastic medium, .and are maintained unvaryingly during the signal period at the desired pitch; and which is provided with means whereby the necessary adjustments to pro-- duce other tones in any variety of pitch at will may be quickly and readily effected.

-More particularly, and in the form shown in the-drawings herewith, my invention comprises a signal device wherein air is oscillated at any desirable rate through one or more openings, thus creating a sound the pitch of which is determined by the periodicity of the oscillations, together with means whereby this periodicity of the air oscillations is controlled and adjusted at will.

By alternating or reversing the fluid vibration which produces the signal tone, and

by providing means to varythe vibratory period, I am enabled to produce, continuously, clear and sustained signal tones; of any desired definite pitch, with less wave interference and ina more economical manwhich it may be shown or produced.

. and movements in the terms of. which my ner than by any other method now known to me.

I, therefore, claim this invention broadly m any of the many equivalent forms in This invention is capable of many modifications in use, and it may be applied to perform a great variety of useful purposes under widely varying conditions' In the drawings herewith I have selected one form for illustrative purposes, and it is to'be understood that I do not restrict myself to those precise mechanical forms invention is therein expressed. Manifestly, Wilthe skilled designer may vary these forms and movements very widely without departing from the essential spirit of my invention and Without effecting material change in the results produced.

.Referring to the drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a signal mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. i

- Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section of an alternative form, and

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing in detail one of the parts thereof.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a frame or body on which the disk B is mounted for rotation by means of the shaft C. D representsa stepped driving pulley, secured to the opposite end of the shaft 0, and E indicates the driving belt.

In this case I form the upper part of the frame A so as to extend over the disk B and provide the'part so formed with a deopening an is formed. A horn, a, may be secured upon this flange so as to communi 10% cats with the opening, as shown, or in any other suitable or convenient manner, so as to concentrate and direct the tone.

Openings 6 and b areformed alternately through the diskB, these openingsoonnecting the opening a in the flange awiththe openings a and a in the frame A alternately and successively as the disk B is caused to rotate. To the openings a and a 7 in the frame A, the pipes at and a are conno nected in any suitable manner, these pipes leading to any convenient source of air pressure and vacuum, as, for instance, the outlet and inlet of a blower or fan of the usual commercial type.

Itwill now be manifest that, as the disk B is caused to rotate (through connection to a motor of any of the usual kinds) the opening I) in it registers momentarily with the opening a in the frame A and establishes connection between it and the opening a placed opposite to it in the frame or flange a, so that air under pressure in the opening a isforced outwardly in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, through the transverse opening I) in the disk B and through the opening a in the flange a. It will also be apparent that, as the disk B continues to rotate, the opening 6 is brought next into register With the opening a, the form of bf being such however that its opposite end registers with the opening a in the frame, so that the air in 7) and a is drawn inwardly by the vacuum maintained in the opening a and its connecting pipe as indicated by thearrow in Fig. 2.

The rotating disk is thus seen to alternately permit and interrupt the fiow of air in each direction in the discharge opening,

producing therein an oscillatory movement of the air column with a resultingsound or tone..

And, since the pitch of the signal tone thus produced will depend upon the number of oscillations .in any given period of time, it will be evident that the speed at which the disk is rotated will control the oscilla-, 'tory period and, consequently, the

pitch of the tone.

The rotation of the disk may be controlled in any desired or suitable manner, by a gear train, or by any one of the well-known forms of gear-changing, variable speed devices, or speed-changing devices, 'or, in a simpler manner as by the stepped pulley shown in Fig. 2, to which is connected any form of motor drive by means of a driving belt.

In an alternative form shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a disk F is mounted upon the shaft G, this shaft being supported in bearings formed upon the frame or body H, and a driving pulley I, secured to the same shaft, furnishing a means for driving the disk F at any desired rate of speed. The longitudinal position of the moving parts is maintained by means of the collar J secured to the outer end of the shaft G.

The disk F may be formed with a plurality of openings, 7, asshown in Fig. 4:, and

naeaosa is surrounded by a flange or head formed in any suitable manner upon the frame H, this flange having, as shown in Fig. '5 a like plurality of outlet openings, h, an a like plurality of inlet openings, h, formed through it. Each set of openings in this flange is connected, preferably by branch pipes such as k and 72. to two main pipes, as h and it leading, as before, to any convenient source of air pressure and vacuum. Any suitable means for concentrating or directing the tone or sound may be employed, as a horn K, secured to the frame H in front of the openings in the disk F as shown in Fig. 3, or secured in any other suitable or convenient manner as may be desirable.

As the disk F is rotated the air in the openings 7 is moved alternately in opposite directions, creating a sound the pitch of which is controlled by the rotative speed of the disk.

When desired, auxiliary disks L and L, having openings of a greater or a less area than the openings 6 and f in the disks B and F, or having special forms of openings for specific purposes, may be mounted, re movably or otherwise, in the mechanism as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim In a signal mechanism the combination mitting free passage in the reverse direction for the other fluid pressure away from the sound transmitting member, said openings terminating adjacent the sound transmitting member in a common circular plane and being primarily eflective in a common plane to control the fluid movements therein.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

FRANK H. SLEEPER.

Witnesses MINNA HAAs, T. LEVERETT NELSON. 

